


Bellatoris ex Machina

by AvengingPhoenix, moonstalker24



Category: Pacific Rim (2013), Teen Wolf (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, M/M, This is an exercize in insanity, We have no idea what we're doing, we can't remember, we have no idea who wrote what
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-16
Updated: 2014-01-17
Packaged: 2018-01-08 22:52:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1138384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvengingPhoenix/pseuds/AvengingPhoenix, https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonstalker24/pseuds/moonstalker24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The war against the Kaiju has had many casualties. In an attempt to close the Rift and stop the war the Honolulu Shatterdome has ordered three of its Jaegers into battle. The consequences are catastrophic, and the pilots are stranded in a strange world where superheroes exist. In a world where there are no Kaiju, no giant monsters to fight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

“Wake up!”

 

“Whahuh?”

 

“Up! We got one!”

 

Feet were slapped, a blanket yanked and Hanne Stilinski promptly rolled off her bunk and onto the cold concrete floor, her face smooshed into the unforgiving ground. “Ow” she mumbled to the floor.

 

“How can you sleep through this?” Karly Beckett demanded. The alarm continued to blare as Hanne was yanked to her feet by her co-pilot and shoved toward the tiny bathroom attached to their quarters. “Get dressed! We got one!”

 

Hanne swayed on the spot for a moment, grunted and then her brain caught up with her. A grin tugged at the edges of her mouth and her bright whiskey eyes sparkled as she tugged on a pair of pants. Her tall blonde co-pilot gave an answering grin. Hanne quickly tugged an olive t-shirt over her head and wiggled her fingers through her pixie-cut hair. Long strands fell down over her forehead while shorter ones stuck straight up into the air.

 

“What do we know?”

 

“Category three, I think.” Karly said as the two headed out into the hallway of the Honolulu Shatterdome. Karly couldn’t help but be amused as she watched Hanne hop down the corridor after her, trying to pull on her other boot.

 

Up ahead two figures careened around the corner. Karly swerved quickly, dodging the two pilots coming at her. One managed to halt and give Karly a grin and an apology, the other one ping ponged off two walls and down the corridor as he struggled with his jacket.

 

“Stiles!”

 

The young man turned, forgetting about his jacket to turn around and grin at the woman hopping toward him. Like his cousin, Stiles Stilinski’s hair was sticking straight up in the air. Both had fair complexions with a smattering of moles and freckles all over their skin. He grinned at his cousin.

 

“Nervous?” Hanne asked as she gave up on her boot, pulled it off and tackled her cousin.

 

“No!” Stiles yelped as Jackson Whittemore and Karly exchanged amused looks and started to herd the two Stilinskis forward. Jackson liked to pretend that he hated Stiles, but Stiles was very good friends with his co-pilot Allison Argent, and so he’d come to know him fairly well.

 

Hanne helped Stiles fix his jacket and then jumped up onto her cousin’s back. He grabbed her legs out of reflex and began to tote her down the hallway on his back. She grinned at Jackson as they passed “Are you sure? It’s your first drift.”

 

“No it isn’t!”

 

“Okay, it’s your first combat drift. Test drifts and compatibility drifts don’t count.”

 

“Maybe a little.” Stiles admitted.

 

Jackson snorted as they approached the command center to get their orders. “He’s nervous. He’s been bouncing off the walls for days now. Allison even asked him if he’d taken his meds.”

 

“I did! I don’t forget! Sometimes I take too much, and besides it’s not like I’m drifting with _you_ you giant douchenozzle.”

 

“Stiles.”

 

“Shutting up.” Stiles said as he dropped Hanne gently to the floor and grinned sheepishly at his father. Marshall John Stilinski just shook his head at his son. He’d learned very early in his son’s life to pick his battles. He raised an eyebrow at his niece who had sat down on the floor to tug on her wayward boot. His expression said ‘these are my kids, why are these my kids?’

 

“It’s a category three” Peter Hale stated, rolling his chair across the room to a console that was monitoring the event out at sea. “Codename Buggane.”

 

The Marshall nodded at the technician and turned to his three Jaeger teams. Jackson stood to the right and slightly behind the tall figure of Allison Argent. They were the pilots of the big grey and red Mark IV Silver Serpent. His eyes moved to Derek Hale, who stood behind his son, arms crossed over his chest with a ferocious scowl on his face. John still wasn’t sure how he felt about his son’s drift compatibility with the surly man. This would be Derek and Stiles’ first combat mission together piloting the black and grey Mark II Mactíre Alpha.

 

“Hale, Stilinski, this one is yours. Take it out, and then get back here. No fancy stuff.”

 

Derek nodded. “Yes, sir.”

 

“Got it!” Stiles squeaked, turning to stare at Derek with wide eyes. “When did you get here? Make a noise. I’m getting you a little bell!”

 

Derek growled, reached out and grabbed the front of Stiles’ shirt and yanked. “Let’s go.”

 

“Whittemore, Argent, you are to station yourselves in the harbor, if it gets past Mactíre Alpha, you’ll take it on.”

 

“Sir.” Allison said, and then the pair turned to follow Derek and Stiles from the command center.

 

“What about us, sir?” Karly asked. She met and held the Marshall’s gaze.

 

“You aren’t in this one. But standby, just in case.”

 

“You think They’re gonna mess it up, Uncle John?” Hanne asked softly, tucking herself under the Marshall’s arm.

 

He smiled down at his niece and squeezed her shoulder. “I think they’re going to do fine, Hanne, but that’s my son, and it’s his first mission.”

 

Hanne grinned up at her uncle and then bounced up onto her toes to press a kiss to his cheek. “He’s Stiles, he’ll be fine.”

 

“C’mon, Hanne” Karly said, gesturing at the door. “Let’s go make sure that Star is prepped.”

 

Hanne grinned at the mention of their blue Mark III Kaimana Star. She squeezed her uncle one more time, messed up Peter’s hair as she passed and the two pilots made their way from the room.

 

“Sir, Mactíre Alpha is initializing the drift” Peter said, and the Marshall turned back to the screens.

 

 

 

 

\- - -

 

Stiles took a deep breath and let the tension flow away as he stepped into the conn-pod. He stepped up onto the controls and let the clamps close around his feet. Drivesuit technicians placed the helmet on and they left. The doors to the conn-pod closing behind them. As the  relay gel was drained from the helmets a new wave of anticipation flooded through him. Training is one thing. Actually going out to fight is something else entirely.

 

“Relax. I don’t need you freaking out once the drift is initiated.” Stiles looked over and gave a grin.

 

“You relax Sourwolf. I’ve got this.” Derek snorted and shook his head.

 

“Whatever you say Stiles.”

 

“Stiles.”

 

“What?”

 

“Don’t follow the R.A.B.I.T.”

 

“Wha-?”

 

“Just let the memories flow, don’t latch onto one.”

 

“Got it.” Stiles took a deep breath as the computerized voice came through.

 

_“Initiating neural handshake.”_

 

Everything fell silent as he saw both his and Derek’s memories wash over them. Memory after memory seemed to fly past as the drift was being initialized.

 

_“Two pilots engaged in neural bridge.”_

 

“Woah!” Grinning Stiles let out the breath he’d been holding.

 

Turning at the amused snort Stiles stuck his tongue out at Derek then promptly let out a manly squeal as the conn-pod began to descend. Derek began to laugh.

 

“Shaddup! It’s not funny!”

 

“You squealed like a girl.”

 

“It was a manly squeal!” Stiles could feel Dereks amusement through the drift.

 

“Sure it was.” Stiles huffed and crossed his arms.

 

Stiles felt the conn-pod latch onto the Jaeger and felt the room slowly turn as the conn-pod completely attached itself onto the Jaeger. He slipped his arms into the bio-mechanical arms, he could feel Derek doing the same.

 

“You ready?” Stiles tossed his head and smirked.

 

“You’re the one connected to my brain. What do you think?” Derek gave a wolfish grin.

 

“You’re ready.”

 

The sound of the chopper blades filled the air as Mactíre Alpha was pulled into the air.

 

“Time to hunt some Kaiju!”

 

 

 

 

\- - -

 

Allison and Jackson stood at the ready. The Silver Serpent stood in the harbor, the grey and red mech a stark contrast to the blue of the ocean. It hadn’t taken them long to prepare and be on their way. This wasn’t their first time fighting. This was their fourth time being deployed.

 

“Think they can handle it?” Allison wondered.

 

“They’ve got this” Jackson said, confident. Stiles was walking ADHD fueled disaster, but he had the talent and he mind for this.Derek was an experienced veteran. He’d been born and bred into the life. Derek had the experience needed to temper Stiles, and Stiles had the brains to be innovative.

 

The two pilots watched from Silver Serpent’s conn-pod as Mactíre Alpha was released by the two choppers towing it out to sea further away. The huge black and grey mech hit the water with an enormous splash. It turned out away from the harbor.

 

Out to sea, off the left side of Mactíre Alpha, the water churned. Bright bioluminescent spots and lines could be seen moving below the water. The mech turned toward the disturbance just as the category three Kaiju erupted from the water. It was gigantic, with giant arms and a hunched, almost rock like appearance. It was inky blue-black with bright glowing spots and a few stripes. As it flew through the air the pilots of Silver Serpent could see huge razor-sharp claws and tusks protruding from a giant fang-filled mouth.

 

The Kaiju known as Buggane rocketed toward the Mark II Jaeger. The Jaeger’s right arm hauled back and flew forward, meeting the Kaiju’s attack with a crushing right cross.

 

The battle was on.

 

 

 

 

\- - -

 

Mactíre Alpha’s left arm rose into the air, huge claws extended out with a shink of metal falling into place. four huge blades extended out from the hand of the mech and slashed forward, taking huge gouges out of the Kaiju. The monster shrieked in pain and anger and drove forward, slamming huge fists into Mactíre Alpha’s chest. The Jaeger staggered. The mech’s other arm came up and a thermal blade slammed into Buggane to rip out through the joint of one of its shoulders. The Kaiju screamed, slammed both feet into the Jaeger, denting the hull plating. It pushed off the mech and launched itself backward into the water.

 

Kaju-blue began to surface on the water from the severed limb, creating a path in a large loop as the Kaiju circled around to come at the Jaeger from behind.

 

 

 

 

\- - -

 

“The drift is holding steady at 100%.” Peter Hale said to the Marshall.

 

John leaned forward, eyes glued to the screen that held the little red and yellow dots that represented his son and the monster he had gone out to fight. He hit the button on the mic and spoke.

 

“Alpha, it’s coming around behind you on your four o’clock.”

 

 

 

 

\- - -

 

“Got it, thanks command.” Derek hit a button on the command console and exchanged a look with Stiles. From the four drifts the pair had done together, Derek already knew what Stiles wanted to do. No speech was necessary between them as emotions and thoughts and memories flowed between them.

 

As one the two pilots of Mactíre Alpha moved, Stiles as the left arm and Derek as the right. At their command, Mactíre Alpha turned to meet the threat coming at them at speed in the form of a giant monster.

 

“Let’s do this.” Stiles said with a ferocious grin. Derek responded with a bloodthirsty grin of his own. His eyes flashed red for a moment, and his grin showed some fang as they hauled their right arm back again to meet the Kaiju’s attack with one of their own.

 

 

 

 

\- - -

 

The impact of the two combatants created enough of a shockwave to create a circle of blasted water flowing away from them. Mactíre Alpha caught the Kaiju’s remaining arm in a strong grip, bladed hand digging into the flesh as two missiles blasted out of the chest of the mech.They hit the Kaiju dead center and the monster howled. The mech howled back, sounding almost wolf-like as its free arm whistled through the air and impacted the Kaiju’s head once. Twice. Three times.

 

The arm that was clawed into the Kaiju’s arm pulled backward and with a sickening crack and another scream the Kaiju’s remaining arm separated from it’s body. It threw its head back and roared in pain. Two more missiles hit it center mass just as another fist impacted its head. There was a sickening crunch and then an abrupt silence. The Kaiju slumped over onto Mactíre Alpha, its weight forcing it into the water.

 

Bright glowing blood settled up onto the surface of the water. The water settled, then exploded upward as Mactíre Alpha forced threw the dead Kaiju off of it and then rose up again. It stood there, seemingly watching the Kaiju bob in the water, before turning and beginning to head back toward the Shatterdome.

 

 

 

 

\- - -

 

John frowned at the council. He never liked them, a bunch of suits giving out orders like they knew what it was like out in the field.

 

“You want me to do what?” He kept his voice calm and even.

 

“Send your three Jaegers and arm one with a nuclear weapon. We want to close the rift.”

 

“How do we even know that’ll work? We could very well make things worse.”

 

“Our best scientists came up with this solution. It will work. And in the case of it not working then all we’ll lose are three Jaegers.” John frowned.

 

“What about the pilots?! Do you know how difficult it is to even find two pilots that are completely compatible? Not to mention these are human lives. We can’t ask them to serve themselves up to the Kaiju.”

 

“Which is why you won’t be asking. You will order them to. These are not civilians we are talking about, they are soldiers. They must make the necessary sacrifice in order to save even more lives.”

 

“Coun-”

 

“Do not argue! Either you order them or we will send someone that will! That will be all.” The screen went black as they cut off the call.

 

“Sir...” Peter sent a wary glance at the Marshall.

 

“Contact the teams. Tell them they need to be here as soon as possible. We’ll give them a chance to rest. We also need to repair any damage done to Mactíre Alpha. I’m not sending them in there with a damaged Jaeger.”

 

“Yes sir.” Peter watched as the Marshall left the command center and turned troubled eyes to his station. The Marshall had just been ordered to sacrifice his only son, and his niece whom he had basically raised. Going with them would be his own nephew.

 

 

 

 

\- - -

 

Karly stared up at Kaimana Star a small smile on her face. She had been staring at it since the mission began. She always spent most of her free time looking up at the Jaeger.

 

“If you keep staring at her I’m gonna assume you’re in love.” Turning her gaze from the mech to her co-pilot she pouted.

 

“Shut up. You know how much I love Jaegers. Especially this model. It’s special.”

 

“Whatever...”

 

Karly scoffed and swiped at Hanne.

 

Dodging, Hanne laughed then bumped her shoulder against Karly’s. She knew why Karly always spent her time staring at their Jaeger. Looking at the Jaeger she couldn’t help but resent the PPDC for making Karly use this specific type of Jaeger. It’s the same model that her brothers had piloted. There were only two that were built Kaimana Star and Gipsy Danger. Everyone joked and called them twins. Two models that were built at the same time and piloted by the Becket siblings. She just couldn’t really imagine that pain. The pain of having to look at a Jaeger that looks like the one her oldest brother died in.

 

She didn’t have to.

 

“You okay Karly?”

 

She had felt Karly’s pain through the drift when they had connected for the first time. It was...intense to say the least. Karly was getting better at burying it during the drift. She was getting better at pretending everything was alright.

 

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

 

Hanne shot her a look. Karly liked to call it her stop-it-with-the-bs-because-you-can’t-lie-to-me-and-I-know-you-miss-your-brothers face. She hated that look. It made her feel weak and powerless. She just wanted people to stop treating her like a porcelain doll whenever the subject of her brothers came up. She very much prefered it if the subject on her brothers never came up. It was none of their business anyway. A part of her wanted things to go back to the way they were. Back to when her and her brothers were still trainees in the Jaeger program and life had endless outcomes. Back to when they would all sleep in the same bed when one of them had a nightmare. Back to being a family. They were small and a little broken but they were still a family. Three siblings left behind and they had all decided to quit school and go to the Jaeger program. Now their small broken family became shattered and it felt like they were broken beyond repair.

 

She would never be able to recover from that, the pain of losing Yancy to that Kaiju and losing Raleigh because every time he looked at her all he saw was Yancy. She chose to keep her distance because she knew if she lost anyone else... she’d lose her mind. She was barely holding on as it was.

 

Hanne made a noise in the back of her throat and nodded. She knew to leave it alone. That was what happened when you had over five years in the drift with someone. Sometimes words just weren’t necessary.

 

“Are you ok?” Karly asked, eyeing Hanne carefully.

 

Hanne nodded “I’m fine. Kid did an awesome job out there today, didn’t he?”

 

Karly grinned “He sure did. You talk to him yet?”

 

“Yeah, Uncle John and I saw him after his post-mission exam. Giddy as all get out.” Hanne shook her head in amusement “Even Derek smiled.... Well, I think it was a smile, his mouth turned up at the corners.”

 

“Definately a smile, then.” Karly said.

 

“Beckett! Stilinski!”

 

Both women turned to look at the mechanic walking toward them. Chris Argent looked harried and grumpy. He was the lead Mechanic for the Honolulu Shatterdome. Anything and everything that had anything to do with maintenance, upgrades or repairs for the three Jaegers stationed there went through him. He was probably tweaked about being pulled away from Mactíre Alpha’s repairs.

 

“Hello Chris,” Hanne said. Her voice held a new tense note. It was legend in the Shatterdome that Hanne and Chris _did not_ get along. Chris eyeballed Hanne with disdain and turned to Karly “You’ve been summoned. Marshall wants to see you.”

 

“Thank you” Karly said, then watched as Chris turned on his heel and march away. Karly couldn’t really blame Chris for his behavior. He hated that his only child was As a Jaeger. Allison had started out in engineering with Stiles, but then moved onto mechanics with her father. She’d been learning the ins and outs of Jaegers when her mother had been killed. Victoria Argent had been one tough customer and a fantastic pilot.

 

Back then, Silver Serpent had been Ouroboros Serpent, piloted by the duo of Victoria and Kate Argent. Kate had been the one to introduce Victoria and Chris. Together, the husband and wife had raised a beautiful, amazing girl. The two pilots had been top ranked in the world. Then tragedy had struck, the Ouroboros Serpent had been taken down by one of the first Category Fours ever seen. Both it’s pilots had been killed.

 

Chris Argent had fought tooth and nail to not have the Serpent decommissioned and scrapped. He’d spent two years rebuilding the Jaeger. Two years that Allison had spent in the academy. Then the Serpent had risen again, renamed Silver to honor its fallen pilots. This time the Serpent rose up on Oahu with Jackson and Allison as its pilots.

 

Karly knew that kind of pain.

 

“C’mon” a hand came down on Karly’s shoulder. Hanne looked up at her from where she gazed at the world at five feet two inches, “Let’s go.”

 

Karly nodded and together (always together, because what else was there?) they headed for the Marshall’s office.

 

 

 

 

\- - -

 

Hanne stared at her uncle, it was hard to breath. Millions of questions ran through her mind as it tried to comprehend what she had just been told.

 

“They want us to do what?!” Stiles slammed his hands on the table his chair clattering to the ground as he stood.

 

“You heard me. They want you to try to close the rift. As we speak Mactíre Alpha is being outfitted with a nuke. You are to all go. Silver Serpent and Kaimana Star are to cover and ensure that  Mactíre Alpha launches the bomb and detonates it.” The Marshall tried to maintain his composure.

 

Karly and Derek stared at the Marshall then shared a look. Karly sighed, making sure no one heard. She knew this was something the Marshall didn’t want to do. Orders were orders though. She wasn’t going to fight it.

 

“I’ll go, Sir.” Karly stepped forward raising her voice above everyone elses.

 

“What?” Marshall Stilinski focused on her, Karly merely blinked as the attention shifted to her.

 

“Why?!” Allison’s eyes wide in horror. Hanne’s stomach tightened, she already knew the answer.

 

“I’d rather die in a Jaeger.”  

 

Derek stepped forward standing beside Karly, “Me too, Sir.”

 

“Are you both insane?!” Stiles looked on the verge of a breakdown.

 

Karly’s eyes flicked to Hanne seeing the apprehension on her face. Gaze darting back to the Marshall, Karly made up her mind.

 

“Permission for us to talk amongst ourselves sir?”

 

“Permission granted. You’ve got ten minutes.” Marshall Stilinski walked out of the room posture stiff.

 

“Calm down Stilinski.” Karly sat down in a chair, posture relaxed.

 

“Don’t tell me to calm down Karly! It’s a suicide mission! How can you be alright with that?!” She kept her eyes trained on Stiles eyes sharp.

 

He was on the verge of a panic attack.

 

“Brea-”

 

“No! I-I-I can’t! I can’t leave my dad. This mission is too dangerous!”

 

“Stiles!” Stiles froze at the sharp commanding tone, eyes wide. “You need to calm down. Breath... Listen, I know this mission sounds terrifying but it’s part of our job.”

 

“It’s still dangerous.”

 

“It’s no less dangerous than fighting the Kaiju.”

 

The room fell silent and the air seemed to thicken. It was true. Every time they took the Jaegers out to fight the Kaiju they risked their lives. There was always a chance that they would never come back. It was easy for the pilots to forget how easy it is to be killed by a kaiju. Especially when you’re in a Jaeger. You felt invincible in a Jaeger. Like nothing could hurt you. It was easy for them to forget. But not for others. Not for Karly, Derek, and Allison who all knew that the second you step into a Jaeger, you could die. They all knew the pain of losing someone like that. To have them torn from you because a Kaiju killed them. That a Kaiju tore open the conn-pod and killed them. For the others it’s just a hellish nightmare of something like that happening while you’re piloting a Jaeger. For Allison, Karly, and Derek it was reality. They knew how dangerous piloting a Jaeger is, it didn’t matter to them. They knew they could die at any moment and they’re willing to take that chance.

 

Stiles averted his gaze and stared at the floor, “I’m sorry.”

 

“Don’t be. At least not to me. You’re making this hard for your father, it’s difficult enough to be asking us to do this. Asking his own son is entirely different. You need to be strong. For him.”

 

“How can you be so calm? How can you be so...so-so emotionless.”

 

Karly shrugged, “It’s part of my job. I’m looking at things clinically, I may be one of the youngest to complete the Jaeger Academy but I’m no child.”

 

She sent everyone a sharp look, a look that reminded everyone just how serious this situation was. Karly was a natural born fighter, the daily fourteen hour training sessions that were required of all Jaeger trainees had never bothered her. She was the youngest to ever join the Jaeger Academy and she had learned quickly. She wasn’t like the others, she never finished her schooling and even when she was in school she had never really done well. She had managed to learn some of her times tables and just quit. It had all been gibberish to her. She couldn’t understand equations or formulas her mind never seemed to be able to grasp it. No matter how hard she tried. When her mother had died she had gone with her brothers to the Jaeger Academy and never thought about finishing her schooling. For her it was pointless. Now battle... that was when she was in her natural element she absorbed the fighting techniques like a sponge. She easily learned how to handle weapons of all kinds, it was easy for her. While others could barely handle the training hours she actually enjoyed it.

 

“Bu-”

 

“If you can’t handle the life of a pilot, why did you become one in the first place? Why waste everyone’s time? Why waste your own time? This isn’t a game where you’ll stay safe in the Jaeger and nothing can touch you!” She abruptly stood up, chair screeching against the ground,”This is reality, it’s our job to put our lives on the line! Our job is to do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of the people, whether it be fighting Kaijus or dropping a thermonuclear bomb into the Pacific Rim! We do what we have to ensure the survival of the human race!”

 

Hanne watched her co-pilot storm from the room and tucked her hand into her cousin’s. She tipped her head to lean it on his shoulder. “Most of that wasn’t aimed at you, y’know.”

 

Stiles sighed “I don’t understand how she can be so cold about it.”

 

“She isn’t cold, she’s guarded” Hanne explained. “She lost a lot more than just her brother when Yancy died. The Jaeger program is all she has left, her duty to the program keeps her going. She takes it very seriously.”

 

“I get that, I do - “

 

“Don’t worry about it.” Derek said, abruptly cutting into the conversation. “We’ll do our duty, let’s go.”

 

Stiles and Hanne watched Derek, Allison and Jackson leave the room and then Hanne turned to Stiles. She placed one hand on either of his cheeks and pulled his face down to hers so that their foreheads were resting together and they were sharing breaths. “I know you’re scared; but we’re going to do this. We’re gonna hug your Dad so fiercely his ribs will feel it for days, and then we’re gonna go out there, deliver a giant honkin’ nuke to the Kaiju and close the rift. Then we’re gonna come home and we’re gonna hug him again. Deal?”

 

Stiles huffed a tiny laugh, “Deal.”


	2. Chapter 2

 

_“Initiating neural handshake.”_

 

Marshall Stilinski took his place behind and just to the right of Peter Hale, hands clasped behind his back. “How’s it looking, Peter?”

 

_“Two pilots engaged in neural bridge.”_

 

“It’s looking good. We’ve got three handshakes initialized, all holding steady at 100%.” Peter indicated his holo-screen with one hand as he monitored the final handshake. Two other techs had been assigned to Kaimana Star and Silver Serpent, Peter himself was monitoring Mactíre Alpha. Above them, on a much larger screen was a geographical map of their target. “Serpent’s the fastest of the three, so Argent fixed the device to it.”

 

The Marshall nodded. Chris was not happy about this assignment, but he also knew that there was nothing that John could do to stop this attempt to close the rift. He hated it too, both of his children were going into this as well.

 

He watched grimly as the Jaegers left the Shatterdome in an orderly line. Kaimana Star was first, the Silver Serpent and Mactíre Alpha. They headed out over the water. Honolulu was farther away from the breach than Beijing or Sydney, and there had been talk of abandoning the small island chain for more defensible outposts. There was also talk about building a wall across the world.

 

As he waited Chris Argent appeared next to him and the Marshall realized that the three men on this base who all had an emotional stake in the outcome of this mission were in this room. He took a deep breath.

 

“They’ve reached the dropoff point, Sir.”

 

John nodded sharply and watched as the choppers released the Jaegers. Splashdown was marked by three yellow tracking dots appearing on the map in front of them. As the three Jaegers submerged and began the trek toward the breach, something beeped in alarm and Peter turned with widened eyes and a bit of horror in his expression.

 

“Sir, the breach is active, it’s a double event.”

 

“Wait, there are two?” Chris demanded.

 

“Yes.” Peter said, and all three men watched as two red dots appeared on the map.

 

The Marshall leaned forward, hit the button on the mic that would let him communicate with his pilots, “Listen up, we’ve got Kaiju. Two of them just came through the breach. Category four. Watch yourselves.”

 

A chorus of _‘Got it’_ came back. John exchanged another look with Peter, and then one with Chris as the formation of yellow dots approached the two red ones. This was about to get very, very ugly.

 

 

\- - -

 

They labeled them Cu Sith and Kyojin. Cu Sith was named after a mythical dog creature that was similar in appearance. Huge, blackish green with eerie glowing eyes and humongous teeth, it looked like it would be more at home in dark forests than slicing through the water. Kyojin was just as the japanese word meant, giant. Giant and mean and ugly. With fluorescent green stripes across huge spiked dorsal fins, with far reaching humanoid claws and a tail that made one think of an electric eel.

 

Cu Sith attacked from the south, plowing into Silver Serpent like a guided missile. Serpent met it head on, latching onto the Kaiju and firing a series of missiles into it. If they had been above water, the howl of fury the monster gave would have rattled the Jaeger pilots' bones. It lunged forward, fangs open wide. Mactíre Alpha appeared, wrapped one arm around the Kaiju's neck and yanked. The Silver Serpent jerked free and turned back to the breech.

 

Kyojin's attack was quick and brutal. A strike and run technique against Kaimana Star that sent her pilots reeling. Quick as a flash Kyojin vanished into the blackness of deep water, only to quickly strike again from another direction.

 

"Son of a -" Hanne snarled as they tried to track the fish-like Kaiju.

 

"Get to the breech, Serpent!" Snarled Derek as Mactíre Alpha grappled with the black monster that was trying to sink it's teeth into the big black and grey mech's shoulder.

 

Allison's voice came over the comm, grumpily, which only happened when she and Jackson were in the drift. "No, I thought we'd hit the mainland, get coffee at this little place I know on huntington beach."

 

"Your sarcasm is noted, and inappropriate." Hanne remarked as Kyojin swept round and round Kaimana Star, spinning the Jaeger into the start of what could be a mean whirlpool. "Please do the thing before I get dizzy and hurl all over the conn-pod."

 

"Yes please. The smell would never leave." everyone could hear the wrinkled nose in Karly's voice.

 

Suddenly a shriek of feedback screeched across the comm link as the Kaiju Mactíre Alpha was grappling with finally got it's teeth into the Jaeger. It latched onto the right shoulder and shook the machine. When it let go Mactíre Alpha sank silently to the ocean floor, its' power cut temporarily as the system tried to work around the damage. Cu Sith turned to swim toward Silver Serpent just as Kaimana Star finally got ahold of Kyojin.

 

The blue Mark III latched onto the dorsal and loosed several rounds into the Kaiju's side. Serpent moved toward the breech as fast as it could. Mactíre Alpha powered back up with a second screech of feedback and lurched after the black and green Kaiju swiftly moving toward Silver Serpent.

 

The Kaiju in Kaimana Star's grasp yanked forward, dragging the Jaeger with it toward the breech as Silver Serpent leapt down into the crater that held the breech.

 

"Arming device." Jackson stated in the calm, almost monotone voice he tended to adopt when he was on a mission. "Setting count down for five minutes."

 

Kaimana Star's left leg slammed into the ocean floor, digging into the soft surface and then into the hard rock directly below. The joints slammed together and one of the hydraulic hinges blew, a cloud of black in the darkness. The move halted both Jaeger and Kaiju with a jerk as the right arm raised, a bladed weapon shooting out of a compartment in the forearm and snapping out into alignment. The blade heated red hot and the arm came down, blade buried in the Kaiju's side. Kyojin howled loud enough it could be heard in the conn-pod, twisted and slammed its claws into the left shoulder and arm of the Jaeger.

 

Inside the conn-pod, Hanne screamed in pain.

 

Mactíre Alpha rushed toward the other Kaiju grabbing onto its tail just as it dove toward Silver Serpent. Alpha was yanked up off the sea bed, then slammed back down just in time for Serpent to lower a shoulder and body check the giant Kaiju. Alpha slammed into the creature's back, propelling all three off the edge of the ravine toward the breech.

 

Fifteen feet away Kaimana Star was slammed into an outcropping of rocks and boulders ranging in size from mailbox to small car rained down on the nuclear device. It was knocked off the edge and started to fall toward the breech. The numbers on the countdown flashed rapidly for a moment.

 

Then the world went white.

 

 

\- - -

 

Inside the Honolulu shatterdome, the command center went eerily silent as all at once the three yellow Jaeger symbols and two red Kaiju symbols flashed and vanished from the screens.

 

In front of Peter Hale, the displays monitoring three separate neural handshakes flatlined. The last remaining Hale paled rapidly as the eyes of every tech in the room focused on the three men at the front.

 

Chris Argent stood staring at the screen, pain and disbelief on his face.

 

They watched as their commander sank into a chair, his head in his hands.

 

The mission had failed.

 

 

\- - -

_*Elsewhere*_

 

Nick Fury was having a good day. It had been quiet for the first time since aliens had invaded New York. He got caught up on his paperwork. He even got to eat lunch. He might even get to go to bed before midnight.

 

Nick Fury was having such a good day that he knew, deep in his bones, that something was going to happen; and he wasn't going to like it.

 

When alarms blared across the helicarrier and Fury headed for the bridge he could feel the migraine start to build just behind his eye.

 

"Sir, we're detecting a massive nuclear explosion off the coast of Los Angeles." Maria Hill reported as soon as he arrived. "It seems to have come from several miles below the surface, but the news stations are already reporting a massive flash of light."

 

"I want eyes on this people!" Fury ordered. "Get the Avengers on standby. Stark is in California, find out where he is."

 

"Yes sir!"

 

Fury waited for a few minutes.

 

"Satellite image coming up now." a tech said.

 

Images flashed across his screens and Fury's eye narrowed, his lips pursed and then he demanded: "Will someone please tell me what the hell that is?"

 

The bridge exploded into sounds as everyone began to scramble to figure out just what came out of the ocean.

 

 

\---

 

_‘Karly...Karly. You need to wake up. Now!’_

 

Karly woke with a start the alarms blared inside the connpod as she tried to regain her bearings. Her eyes landed on her brother and seeing the worried look on his face jolted her back into awareness.

 

“Yancy..?” Everything was too loud and it was hard to think.

 

_‘Atta girl. Come on, don’t just stand there. Remember your training, get your Jaeger back online kiddo.’_

 

“ Right. Ranger Becket to base does anyone copy? Base, this is Ranger Becket. Please respond. Base. ” Karly took a look around and saw the whole conn-pod was dark and reduced to basic functions. “Shit...”

 

Karly disconnected from the platform shook her head and silenced the alarms . Her legs trembled as she tried to keep herself upright. Shaking her limbs Karly began the process to reboot Kaimana Star. She glanced back at her co-pilot. Hanne was out, she could still feel her through the drift. Karly’s head snapped towards the front of the conn-pod as a roar echoed around Kaimana.

 

“Hanne! Hanne! Wake up! We still got the Kaiju out there! Now’s not the time for sleepin’!” Her only response was a groan of pain. “You with me? ‘Ey! ‘Ey Hanne you still with me?”

 

“Ugh...yeah. I’m with ya...Mostly, I think I’m gonna puke.”

 

With a beep Kaimana Star rebooted and began to power up. Screens began to flicker to life as the Jaeger booted up.

 

“Hell yeah! That a girl.” Karly bounded over to her platform and stepped back up and placed her feet onto the clamps.

 

“Stop talking to the Jaeger...”

 

“Her name is Kaimana Star.”

 

“Whatever...” Hanne shook her head in amusement.

 

Karly was attached to their Jaeger. She couldn’t blame her though... not after what had happened to her brother. Kaimana Star was her only connection to her brothers.  Hanne would rather die than take what little comfort Karly had. Even if she did treat Kaimana like she was a real person.

 

“Comms are online. This is Kaimana Star. Does anyone read me?” Karly’s brow furrowed as the static cleared.

 

“Where the hell are you guys?! They’re killing us out here!” Jackson sounded panicked, Hanne glanced at Karly.

 

“Copy that. Our system is still rebooting. What’s going on?” Karly kept her voice as steady and as calm as she could.

 

“...Mactíre Alpha is down.” Hanne paled.

 

“From the beginning, please.”

 

“Look out! Shit that was close!” Jackson took a deep breath. “As soon as our system booted up we fought the Kaiju and...”

 

“And what?” Hanne looked close to puking but she remained silent.

 

“Something’s wrong... It’s hard to tell but we aren’t anywhere near Honolulu. Look out! To the left!” The comm system cut out and fell silent.

 

“Jackson... Jackson. Please respond. Aw...hell. C’mon Kaimana...”

 

“Karly...” Hanne had tears in her eyes.

 

“Hanne. He’s fine, Derek’s with him. They probably abandoned their Jaeger before she went down. Derek’s a good ranger.”

 

“You think so?” Karly grinned and nodded.

 

_System re-engaged._

 

“Let’s kick some Kaiju ass.”

 

 

\---

 

Director Fury kept his eye trained to the screens as he watched two gigantic monsters fight what looked like giant robots. The two robots seemed to be trying to keep the monsters away from the city. Each time the monsters tried to head towards the shore one of the ‘bots would push it back. Hopefully they were good guys... or they were in trouble.

 

One of the monsters plunged a claw into the head of the black robot and roared in victory. It pulled it’s claws out of the robot and turned to help attack the red and silver robot. With the black ‘bot down it seemed the other robot was struggling to keep the monsters at bay. The silver robot gleamed in the sun as it threw punch after punch at the monsters, struggling to keep up with the overwhelming magnitude of the monsters.

 

“That thing’s fuckin’ fast.”

 

“It seems to be struggling to keep up though. Sir...what do we do if one of those things gets to Los Angeles?”

 

“Pray that the Avengers get here.”

 

“What’s it doing sir?” Agent Hill furrowed her brow as they watched the monster head underwater.

 

“I don’t know...”

 

The creature fighting the silver ‘bot seemed to blindside it on its left, dug its claws in and violently tore off its arm. The second monster burst from the water and leapt onto it’s back, claws scratching and tearing off anything it caught onto. And that was that, the silver bot fell. They watched as like the black ‘bot, the silver ‘bot sunk into the ocean

 

“Son of a- Where are the Avengers! Those things are heading towards the city!”

 

Before anyone could respond the creatures froze and turned. The water swelled and then burst as a third robot lunged out of the water and punched one of the monsters in the face. Before it could recover the robot grabbed the monsters mouth and forced it’s jaws open. Reaching in the bot grabbed onto it’s tongue and ripped it out. The monster gave a shriek of pain and thrashed it’s head from side to side.

 

A compartment on the new robot’s shoulder opened and a missile launched into the mottled blue-green skin of the bigger monster.

 

“Fury... exactly what are we looking at here?” Tony Stark’s voice rang through the speakers.

 

Fury’s eye snapped to the side and he noticed the tiny red and gold figure of Iron Man leading a black jet carrying the other Avengers around the edge of the battle.

 

“I think we would all like to know” said the voice of Captain America.

 

“I don’t know but stand by... hopefully those robots are friendlies.”

 

“You got it.” Fury’s brow twitched, he could practically hear the smirk in Stark’s voice.

 

 

\---

 

“Is it time for the sword now?” Karly whined.

 

“You’re in my head, what do you think?” Hanne tossed a smirk to her co-pilot.

 

“Hell yeah!” Karly pulled up the weapons and selected the sword. “Time to die bitches!”

 

Hanne laughed as they brought up Kaimana Star’s right arm as Karly reached out and hit the  activation command. The gigantic sword snapped out into the open, curving back and then upward as it locked into place. The blade quickly became superheated as they hauled back their right arm and then plunged it downward into Kyojin’s skull. The giant eel-like Kaiju shrieked and screamed, clawing at Kaimana Star’s armor. It tore large rents in the shoulders as the sword twisted and they yanked down, cleaving the Kaiju in half to its tail.

 

The creature fell, hitting the beach with an earth shattering rumble. The giant eel-like tail thrashed one more time into the air and then hit the water with a massive splash. Then the Kaiju was still.

 

“Yeah!” Karly yelled.

 

Hanne threw her arm up in victory. “Alright, where’s that other ugly SOB?”

 

 

\- - -

 

Iron Man, also known as Tony Stark watched, fascinated as the giant blue robot threw its left arm up in what was obviously a celebration of victory. He couldn’t help but grin at that before scanning for the other creature.

 

“We’ve got a problem guys” said the Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff.

 

The jet turned, and Iron Man did as well, and they all watched as the big black, doglike monster tore into the Los Angeles Harbour.

 

 

\- - -

 

“Great googly moogly!” Hanne yelled as soon as they spotted Cu Sith.

 

“This is gonna get bad” Karly said, then broadcasted over every radio frequency the Jaeger could capture. “This is Jaeger Ranger Karly Beckett to any listening military and emergency personnel: do not engage hostile. Repeat, do not engage hostile.”

 

Hanne hit a few buttons on her console, still trying to raise Mactíre Alpha or Silver Serpent on the private Jaeger frequencies. “C’mon, c’mon…” she muttered.

 

_“... say again… repeat, who the hell is this and what is a jaeger?”_

 

Karly and Hanne flinched at the mostly unexpected response. They briefly glanced at each other as they reached the harbor and headed for the Kaiju tearing through several giant boats loaded with shipping containers. Karly hit a few buttons and zeroed in on the frequency they’d gotten a response on.

 

“This is Ranger Beckett, I repeat, do not engage the hostile!”

 

 _“Who are you and what is going on?!”_ the voice demanded.

 

Karly glared, hoping whoever this guy was would get the message “I can explain after we kill the Kaiju.”

 

 _“...the what?”_ a second voice said.

 

The first voice roared _“What in the everloving fuck is a Kaiju!?”_

 

Karly rolled her eyes, and said in a deadpan voice “That thing. You see that giant black and green monster right in front of you? That’s a Kaiju.”

 

Hanne couldn’t help it. She cackled at Karly’s tone; even as static crackled in her ear as she tried to raise her cousin.

 

“And you see that other giant thing in front of you? The giant blue roboty looking thing? That’s a Jaeger, that’s us and we’re gonna kill the big monstery looking thing. Okay? Okay.”

 

_“... I expect an explanation Ranger Beckett.”_

 

No one would ever say anything, but the voice sounded a little petulant.

 

 

\- - -

 

Water was leaking into the conn-pod. That was the first thing he noticed as Stiles’ came to. The second thing he noticed was the crackling of the radio in his ear and his cousin’s voice crackling through it. Stiles shook himself and looked over at Derek, who hung loosely in his harness, still out.

 

Stiles could feel him in the back of his head. The drift was still connected. He straightened in his harness and started to boot up Alpha’s systems manually. He messed with the radio until Hanne’s voice filled the conn-pod with her Worried Tone (™).

 

_“Stiles? Derek? C’mon Alpha, answer me! This is Kaimana Star calling Mactíre Alpha and Silver Serpent, please respond.”_

 

Derek groaned as he woke. Stiles spared a look at the other man as he straightened and the neural bridge between them flared to life as both of its subjects became conscious.

 

“This is Mactíre Alpha calling Kaimana Star, come in” Stiles spoke.

 

_“Oh, thank heavens. You ok Stiles?”_

 

“We’ll live. What’s the situation?”

 

_“We’ve destroyed Kyojin and are about to engage Cu Sith. We’re slower than normal, left leg took some gnarly damage just before the blast.”_

 

“Got it.” Stiles said as Derek started helping them power up. “Full power in three-two-one. We’re on our way, Star. Hang in there.”

 

_“You got it, Alpha.”_

 

 

\- - -

 

Kaimana Star limped it’s way towards the kaiju trying to stop it’s rampage.

 

“Wait! Pick up that ship.” Karly pointed off to the left.

 

“You can’t be serious!”

 

“Deadly. C’mon, I got a plan.”

 

“Whatever you say...”

 

Picking up the cargo ship they tested it’s weight and let it drag behind them as they finally reached the Kaiju. Hearing them approach Cu Sith turned it’s glowing blue eyes towards the Jaeger and shrieked. Swingin the ship from their left hand and into their right Kaimana Star took a batting stance. They swung the ship as hard as they could, the ship becoming a makeshift baseball bat slammed into Cu Sith’s head with a snap.

 

Cu Sith gave a furious shriek and tried to steady itself. Kaimana Star swung again, they aimed lower this time catching Cu Sith across its neck. They could hear it’s throat crack under the blow and watched as Cu Sith began to make a gurgling sound. The Kaiju lashed out and knocked the ship out of Kaimanas hand. Raking its claws across the conn-pod the paneling shattered under the force of the blow. With another swipe the unthinkable happened.

 

Hanne was ripped out of the conn-pod.

 

“HANNE!!!” Karly’s heart wrenching scream echoed in the conn-pod.

 

 

\---

 

All the air rushed out of Hanne’s lungs. She was still attached to her harness as the air whistled around her. She stared in horror as Kaimana Star (and Karly) got further and further away. She fumbled with her harness for a moment until the mechanism came free and she slid from the wreckage.

 

Free-falling now in just her drive suit and helmet, Hanne caught a glimpse of a black and gray mech emerging from the water, sparks flying around the damaged head and shoulder. Her eyes watered as she watched the blue of Kaimana Star grapple with the Kaiju.

 

There was a jolt and Hanne was no longer falling toward the ground. She glanced away from the battle and directly into the faceplate of a red and gold robot.

 

“Gotcha!” a man’s voice crowed.

 

Hanne gasped as her left knee jolted. A mimic of the damage Kaimana Star had taken earlier; and one of the greater risks of being a jaeger pilot. The robot flew into the open back of a small carrier plane and Hanne jolted out of the thing’s arms and toward the cockpit. She pushed between a man in a purple shirt and a man dressed like a flag.

 

She gaped at what she saw.

 

 

\- - -

 

Karly reeled from the shock of the Drift being disconnected so abruptly. She watched as Hanne was caught by something that was gold and red then everything began to darken.

 

_“Karly! Focus!”_

 

Karlys eyes snapped open and focused on her brother. She was freaking out, memories of when Yancy was ripped out of Gipsy Danger blurred with Hanne being taken. She couldn’t focus.

 

“Yancy... What do I do?” She was at a loss.

 

_“You’re a Ranger! Do what you do best! Kick some Kaiju ass!”_

 

“Right.” Taking full control of the Jaeger Karly turned towards Cu Sith. “C’mon! What are you waiting for?!”

 

_“Atta girl. You can do this! Take him down!”_

 

Karly activated the sword and slashed at Cu Sith, the blade scratched one of it’s eyes. Lashing out, the Kaiju slammed it claws into the damaged leg. Karly screamed as the circuits burned into her skin signifying the damage taken to the leg. Shifting her weight to her other leg as the damaged one began to buckle Karly began to limp towards Cu Sith. She growled low in her throat.

 

“Time to end this.”

 

Before she could react Cu Sith lunged forward and bit down on Kaimanas left arm. Another scream tore it’s way out of Karly’s throat as the circuits burned into her arm. The arm was ripped off. Spitting out the arm Cu Sith opened his jaw to attack again. Karly stabbed the forward burying it deep into the roof of the beasts mouth. Yanking out the blade she stabbed again and buried the blade into it’s chest. Cu Sith slammed its claws and the blade snapped away from the arm. With another swipe the Kaiju slammed its claws at Kaimanas head. The beast fell to the ground with a thump and it struggled to get back up.

 

Karly took a few steps away from the Kaiju. She had to get to the water before she fell. She didn’t want Kaimana Star to hurt anyone if she did fall. She could feel blood as it dripped from her nose. It was getting hard to see.

 

_“C’mon kiddo. A few more steps. You did good kid, I’m proud of you.”_

 

Reaching the shore Kaimana fell to her knees, arm keeping her upper body from hitting the ground completely. The arm shook then slipped out from under her and the Jaeger hit the ground with a thud.

 

Disconnecting herself from her harness Karly stumbled out of the conn-pod. Various parts of her body burned reminding her of the circuit suit underneath her armour. Shudders ran through her body as she looked around her. Harsh gasps filled the air as she tried to breath. Part of her helmet was shattered making it hard to focus.

 

Knees hitting the ground Karly looked down at her hands watching them shake. Her world tilted as she fell back onto the ground. The last thing she remembered was Yancy looking down at her, worry etched into his face.

 

“Yan...Yancy...”

 

 

\---

 

Hanne scrambled for the catches on her helmet with shaking hands as she watched Karly take control of the Jaeger known as Kaimana Star. Her best friend was soloing a Jaeger. She yanked the helmet off, dropping it to the floor, ignoring the group of people standing around her.

 

Karly was kicking major Kaiju butt. Kaimana Star struck at the Kaiju with her sword as Mactíre Alpha finally broke free of the slowing effect of the water and charged toward the battle. One of Kaimana’s arms went flying across the docks and Hanne could vaguely hear someone screaming.

 

She didn’t realize that it was her.

 

Kaimana Star buckled and fell. Mactíre Alpha hit the Kaiju in a beautifully executed football tackle. Both monster and Jaeger hit the ground, and sand flew up all around them. Alpha’s bladed claws dug into the  Kaiju as every weapons port on the Jaeger opened up and the entirety of Alpha’s remaining arsenal fired into the Kaiju all at once. The Kaiju jolted once, twice, three times, and then again. It slumped to the ground, dead as Mactíre Alpha rose to its feet.

 

The big mech took a few long steps toward Kaimana Star and then knelt on one knee. A moment later the hatch at the top of the Jaeger opened. A dark shape jumped agilely out of the conn-pod and to the ground, racing toward Kaimana Star’s destroyed head. A second figure appeared on top of the Jaeger.

 

Hanne sagged, only just becoming aware of the arms wrapped around her. She looked from the gold and red arms and up into the face of a handsome man with a dark goatee. She swallowed heavily and blinked, suddenly exhausted and aware of the blood on her face. Her leg and knee throbbed with a burning pain that signified muscle and tissue damage. She could feel the heat of circuit suit burns wrapped around the joint and at a high point up on her forehead.

 

She became aware of the voices then. Hanne Stilinski blinked tiredly, raised a hand to her face to wipe away the blood and then said:

 

“Get me down there please. Right now.”


	3. Chapter 3

 

Hanne shifted uncomfortably, trying to mask her pain. Her leg was going to pins and needles as the swelling met the resistance of her drive suit. She sat under the stern gaze of one Director Nick Fury. For the past hour he had been grilling them for information but they hadn’t budged. Karly was the highest ranking Ranger out of them all, and they weren’t gonna say a word until Karly told them herself or if she ordered one of them to explain everything to Fury.

 

“So is no one going to explain what the hell happened out there?” He looked like he was about to have an aneurysm.

 

Stepping forward Derek cleared his throat.

 

“With all due respect sir, our commanding officer is unconscious and we’d rather not say anything until she wakes up.”

 

“And why the hell not?”

 

“She’s the highest ranking Ranger and we’d rather not have to argue amongst ourselves about who has the higher rank. Which to be honest I believe we all have the same rank.”

 

“Fine. We’ll wait two days, if she’s not awake by then I expect an explanation from one of you. You best start to decide who will do the explaining.” Turning on his heel, Fury stalked out of the conference room.

 

“I like you guys. You annoy Fury.” The man in the red and gold armor chuckled.

 

“Gee...thanks.” Hanne rolled her eyes, then flinched away from her cousin as he pressed a square of cloth to her head.

 

‘Great another trouble maker...it’s not like Karly wasn’t enough.’

 

The door to the conference room slid open revealing a very pissed off Jackson.

 

“I can’t believe you bastards forgot about us!”

 

Jackson’s only answer was Stiles’ cackling and falling out of his chair.

 

Slipping past Jackson, Allison walked into the room, she was clearly disgruntled. She had every reason to be. The Silver Serpent was practically her baby and now it was on the ocean floor. She just hoped that those agents were gentle with her Jaeger as they fished it out of the water.

 

Stiles made a move to talk to Allison, Jackson intercepted him.

 

“It’s best to leave her alone right now. She may kill you.” Allison shot Jackson a dirty look but otherwise remained silent.

 

Allison flopped into a chair and outright pouted.

 

The Avengers watched as the strange group began to bicker and generally annoy each other. Steve Rogers frowned, watching Stiles and Allison fuss over their wounded comrade. He wanted to know who they were and if they posed a threat. He’d rather not have another Loki problem again. He hated aliens.

 

“Don’t worry Cap. They said once their friend is awake they would explain everything.” Tony grinned at Steve trying to reassure him.

 

“What do you suggest we do in the mean time?”

 

“Try to be their friends?” Walking over the Avengers sat down and the Jaeger pilots all fell silent and stared.

 

“My name is Tony, A.K.A. Ironman. We’re the Avengers.” Tony gave them one of the million dollar smiles that he usually used for the press.

 

“My name is Hanne. Hanne Stilinski.” She gave them a small smile.

 

“Stiles Stilinski.” Stiles threw them a mock salute. “Tall, dark, and scary over there is Derek Hale.”

 

Derek glared at the Avengers and then walked out of the room. His body looked tense.

 

“Uh...” The Avengers shot each other looks.

 

“Sorry about him. He’s just upset that our fearless leader is hurt.” Stiles’ tone was joking but all the pilots seemed to visibly deflate at the mention of Karly.

 

“I’m Allison Argent and this is Jackson Whittemore.” Jackson gave a small grunt of acknowledgement but otherwise remained silent.

 

“Okay... well time for us to introduce ourselves.” Tony clapped his hands and grinned.

 

 

\---

 

Once the door slid closed behind him Derek took a discreet sniff and headed in the direction where Karly’s scent was strongest. After everything they’d been through, there was no way this should have happened. His wolf whined at the thought of Karly in pain. It was bad enough that her eldest brother died in such a horrid way...but having her watch Hanne almost die the way her brother did was too much. Derek paused, another scent mingled with Karly’s.

It was another werewolf.

 

Eyes bleeding red Derek let the transformation take over as he ran down the hall towards Karly. His heart raced as he landed on all fours, bones finally settling to reveal a large black wolf.

 

 

\---

 

Karly woke up to a searing pain that seemed to burn her entire body. Her eyes felt so heavy as she struggled to open them. She found herself staring up at a bright, white ceiling. Groaning Karly struggled to sit up only to be stopped by a hand lightly pushing her back.

 

‘I friggin’ hate hospitals...’

 

“Try not to push yourself. You were technically dead for a few seconds on your way to the infirmary.” Karly blinked up at a doctor that smiled down at her.” My name is Doctor Deaton.”

 

“Ranger Karly Becket. Can I please sit up? I don’t like laying down for too long.”

 

“Of course. Scott help me sit her up.”

 

Karly watched as a young man walked up and easily lifted her up as the Doctor rearranged her pillows.

 

“Thanks.”

 

“No problem.” Scott shyly smiled at her.

 

“I must report to the Director. Scott if you can stay with the patient please.”

 

“Sure.”

 

Dr. Deaton quickly left the room with a file in hand.

 

“How are you feeling?”

 

Karly tilted her head to the side, brow furrowing in thought.

 

“I’m alright. Sadly, I’ve had worse than this. I’m Karly by the way. Karly Becket.” She held out her hand.

 

“Scott McCall.” Shaking hands they both seemed to fall into an easy conversation.

 

For a good hour they talked about anything and everything under the sun. The poor kid seemed to have a lot on his shoulders. She could tell just by glancing at him. He told her about how he had to join S.H.I.E.L.D. because he felt like he had no other choice. He told her about how he always doubted himself and sometimes felt like he was in over his head.

 

“Try not to worry about it too much kid. Sometimes all you have to do is trust your gut and face whatever is coming to ya head on.”

 

“How can you be so sure?” Karly pulled her legs back and patted the now vacant spot on her bed.

 

Scott hesitantly climbed onto the bed and sat Indian style.

 

“I learned it the hard way. My... my older brother, Yancy, died a few years ago. He was fighting a Kaiju with my other brother, Raleigh, and he was ripped out of their Jaeger. After Yancy died I felt so lost and scared because I didn’t know if I was doing the right thing anymore.

 

But I do know this. You just have to do what’s right and face the consequences. I mean you can do what protocol tells you or you follow your instincts and make it out alive. Protocols can only help you so much before they hinder you. Because out in the real world, protocols don’t apply. Orders don’t apply.”

 

Scott stared at her and then nodded. Fidgeting Scott threw small glances at Karly his shoulders hunched as he tried to make himself look smaller.

 

“What?” Karly shifted and scratched her nose.

 

“Can I show you something and you’ll promise not to freak out?” He seemed to shrink in on himself even more.

 

“Sure. What?” Karly rolled her eyes at his small glare. “Yeah, yeah. I promise not to freak out.”

 

“I’m a werewolf. Have been since I was 18.”

 

“Bullshit. You’re serious? That’s awesome! Two of our pilots are werewolves. Can I see?”

 

“Yeah. Okay, yeah.” He grinned and partially transformed, his facial features morphing and his canines lengthened. It’s what they called wolfing out. Scott raised his hand and showed her his claws and bared his fangs so she could fully see them.

 

“So-” Before Scott could say anything else the door slid open and a low growl filled the room.

 

Karly blinked once, twice, and then three times. The black wolf remained low to the ground, it’s ears pinned back as it growled. She watched in horror as Derek leapt up and proceeded to pin Scott to the ground. Derek’s jaw snapped closed on Scotts shoulder. He fell back, the wolf followed, jaw locked as a deep menacing growl rumbled from its chest. Scott’s eyes went gold and he whined in pain and panic.

 

“Derek stop!” Karly yelled, trying to gain the gigantic wolf’s attention. She glanced around frantically, trying to find something, anything, that would help.

 

The bedpan flew across the room. Karly’s aim remained true, and it struck Derek Hale in the side of the head. “Derek!” she yelled, then flinched in pain as the effort of the the throw and yelling caused pain to flare throughout her body.

 

Derek yelped, the surprise impact causing him to let go of Scott’s shoulder. He padded around nervously glancing at Karly as if he was afraid of her getting hurt, a low whine emitting from his throat. Scott crab walked away from the wolf, unable to rise as full transformation overtook him and suddenly a red-brown wolf was cowering on the floor in his place. Derek rumbled a menacing growl, crouching by the bed between this unknown wolf and his packmate.

 

“Derek! Stop!” Karly snapped from her place on the bed. Derek’s ears tipped back and he whined in confusion. “He isn’t going to hurt me, Derek. He’s a nurse, he was doing his job.”

 

Derek stopped growling and tilted his head. Karly took a deep breath trying to calm herself. It was very difficult, "Okay, seriously! You need to stop! Scott trusted me and told me he’s a werewolf, I asked him to transform! You can’t friggin’ attack someone for no good reason!“ Derek merely growled at her in response. “Ya don’t scare me ya mutt. Go ahead. Keep growlin’. Okay, look, I know you’re trying to protect me, Derbear.”

 

Scott whined low in his throat and crawled forward a little on his belly. He whined again and turned to show the Alpha his belly. That was when realization struck for all three occupants of the small room. Derek rumbled again, this time in curiosity as he felt the pack bond cement into place. His ears lowered and he looked up at Karly on the bed sheepishly - well, as sheepishly as a gigantic black werewolf could look. Karly merely scoffed in response.

 

“Dumbasses...the whole lot of you wolves.” Which was Karly speak for I forgive you. She sighed and flopped back on the bed, rolling her eyes.

 

 

\- - -

 

Hanne watched with narrowed eyes as Silver Serpent slowly rose out of the water. Jackson and Allison had been forced to leave the damaged Jaeger behind. Fifty feet away from where she stood were a pair of escape pods; fished out of the water early that morning. Scattered across the deck of the helicarrier were the forms of Mactíre Alpha and Kaimana Star. Severed limbs, fallen plating and all.

 

Stiles’ stood between Alpha and Star, a ferocious look on his face as he jealously guarded the two Jaegers. Down below, operating the crane, was Allison. Hanne was glad that between Stiles’ engineering degree, Allison’s time at her father’s side, and Hanne’s knowledge of drift tech, they would be able to repair the trio of Jaegers.

 

They had decided late last night (after a fairly hilarious retelling of the hospital room incident), when they’d brought Karly dinner, that until they had a handle on this world, on these people, that SHIELD wasn’t allowed anywhere near Jaeger tech. The naturally suspicious Jackson had pointed out that should this strange government agency get their hands on Jaeger tech, and then use it for ill gains, the fault for the lives lost would be on their hands. The rest of them had agreed.

 

Hanne had been woken early that morning by Stiles; who had arranged for SHIELD to retrieve the Jaegers and incinerate the bodies of the two Kaiju. That was where Derek and Jackson were. They were leading a pair of teams to destroy the creatures bodies, as well as help to neutralize the toxic effects of Kaiju Blue.

 

Unfortunately for Karly, she was stuck in the infirmary.

 

“Would you not!” Hanne called, her attention pulled away from the gleaming red and silver shell of Silver Serpent. She glared at the two men examining the severed arm of Kaimana Star.

 

“Just curious is all,” offered billionaire Tony Stark, raising his hands in the air.

 

Hanne’s eyes narrowed menacingly and she waved one of her crutches at him. “Touch our girl again and I’m going to beat you to death with my crutches.”

 

“Little harsh, don’t you think?” Tony asked conversationally as he and Bruce Banner wandered in her direction.

 

“No.” said Hanne. “I really will beat you to death with my crutches.”

 

She wasn’t really all that intimidating - even before the broken leg and torn up knee. She was five feet one inch tall and weighed a hundred and fifteen pounds only if she was soaking wet, wearing combat boots and had pockets full of change. The mid-thigh to toe cast on her left leg didn’t help her cause at all.

 

Tony grinned “You sure you can take both me and big green here?”

 

“Bring it on, scumbucket” Hanne taunted.

 

“I wouldn’t.” someone said. Tony and Bruce turned to see the tall, thin man known as Stiles wandering up to them. He came to a stop next to his cousin and joined her in watching as Serpent’s feet cleared the deck and the process of slowly lowering the gigantic machine onto the tarmac began. “My cousin’s scrappy, don’t let her appearance fool you… That and if you do anything to hurt her they’ll never find your bodies.”

 

Tony stared at the somewhat maniacal grin on the young man’s face. “Is that so?”

 

“Yep. My Dad was a Sheriff long before he was a Marshall. I know all about getting rid of the evidence” Stiles said. “That and Karly will shoot you in the face if anything happens to her.”

 

The four were silent a they watched Serpent come to a halt, lying prone on the deck next to Kaimana Star. Stiles wrapped his arm around Hanne’s shoulder and she leaned into his side. She reached around his back with her unused crutch and, with a sly grin, poked Tony Stark in the side with it. He jumped, grabbed his side, and then glared at her.

 

At his side, Bruce Banner shook his head in amusement.

 

Hanne and Stiles looked at each other and their embrace tightened. They were lost in a strange world with no way home. Their Jaegers were damaged to the point that back home they would have probably been scrapped. They didn’t know who they could trust or who they couldn’t. That wouldn’t stop them though.

 

They had each other.

 

In the distance, the sun climbed higher in the sky, reflecting off the water and glinting off the sides of the buildings in the distance.

 


End file.
